Wall Sits: Proper Form, Variations & Common Mistakes

Wall sits are a real quad burner and are generally used for building isometric strength and endurance in the quadriceps muscle group, glutes, and calves.

Wall sits are not complicated, but many people get them wrong. You know that you are performing wall sits properly if your hips and knees form right angles at 90 degrees, your back is flat against the wall, and your heels are on the ground. You should feel a slight pulling of the quad area. You can do wall sits as part of any lower-body routine.

How to Do Wall Sits

You can perform wall sits anywhere you have access to a flat wall.

1. Start with your back against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and about 2 feet from the wall.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles and slowly slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
3. Adjust your feet so your knees are directly above your ankles (rather than over your toes).
4. Keep your back flat against the wall.
5. Hold the position for 20 to 60 seconds.
6. Slide slowly back up the wall to a standing position.
7. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat the wall sit three times. Increase your hold time in five-second increments as you increase your strength.

The Many Benefits of Wall Sits

Wall sits isolate your quadriceps muscles on the front of your thighs. Wall sits are often used for gradually building pre-season leg strength for downhill skiing, ice hockey, track and field, running, and other activities. For activities such as running that mostly work the hamstrings, strengthening the quads helps keep the leg muscles balanced.

Wall sits build muscular endurance, which delays fatigue and allows athletes to perform optimally for longer periods. Wall sits should be used in combination with other quad-strengthening exercises, such as walking lunges or some basic plyometrics if sports conditioning is your goal.

Strong quads are used for everyday activities like getting out of a chair and walking downhill or downstairs, which is why wall sits are a beneficial exercise for non-athletes.

Other Variations of Wall Sits

Wall sits can be modified to match your fitness level, making it more accessible or more of a challenge.

Wall Sits With an Exercise Ball

Because wall sits are intense, you may need to modify your position or the length of your hold the first few times you try this exercise in order to complete it. Modifying is fine, as it will still help build strength as you work up to being able to complete regular wall sits.

You may find it more comfortable to place an exercise ball between your back and the wall.

Ease the Hold Angle and Hold Time

Don't slide down the wall quite as far to decrease the intensity of wall sits. Aim for a 45-degree angle at the hips rather than 90 degrees. This will take a bit of pressure off your knees and lighten the load on the quads.

Another modification technique is to hold the wall sit for a shorter amount of time at first and increase your hold time as you get stronger. Try to hold for five to 10 seconds in the beginning.

A similar exercise, the wall slide, may be used in physical therapy when recovering from an injury.

Add Dumbbells to Wall Sits

If you are a multi-tasker, get into wall sit position with a dumbbell in each hand. You can do biceps curls, lat raises, and shoulder presses.

Simply holding a weight while doing wall sits will increase the load and make it more intense.

Single-Leg Wall Sits

You can progress to single-leg wall sits to challenge your balance and boost the intensity. From the wall sit position, extend one leg in front of you for a few seconds. Return that leg to the floor and then extend the other leg. Be sure your thighs remain parallel to the floor and your knees are directly over your ankles.

Common Mistakes

Avoid the errors below to get the most out of wall sits and prevent injuries.

Thighs Not Parallel to the Ground

Hold wall sits with a 90-degree bend in both hips and knees. At first, you may need to hold with your thighs at a 45-degree angle or less until you build strength. But do not go lower so your thighs are at a higher angle than 90 degrees.

Knees Extending Beyond Ankles

Never allow your knees to extend past your ankles during wall sits. Your lower legs should be parallel to the ground with your knees directly over your ankles. If the knees extend past the ankles, you'll be using your calves instead of your quads.

Weight on Toes

The weight during wall sits should be on your heels, not your toes. Your heels should be on the ground.

Sliding Down Rather Than Up to Finish

At the end of each wall sit rep, you need to push into your heels and slide back up the wall. If you instead let your body go toward the floor, you are stressing your knees.

Safety and Precautions for Wall Sits

Wall sits place most of the weight on your knees. If you have an existing knee injury or condition, discuss the wall sit with your doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer. You may feel a burning sensation in the quads, but if you have pain in the knee or kneecap, stop the exercise.

Try Wall Sits

Incorporate wall sits into one of these popular workouts:

• 10-minute bodyweight circuit workout
• Squat variations for buns, hips, and thighs
• Lower body workout for runners